Hundreds took part in a protest in Dublin city centre today calling for Government action to protect Ireland’s small businesses. Small business owners and workers from across hospitality, tourism, retail and childcare sectors came together to demand lower tax rates on small businesses.
Almost 700 restaurants, cafes and other food-led businesses across the country have had to shut their doors since September 2023, when the Covid VAT rate of 9% reverted to 13.5%. Many small business owners say they were left ‘genuinely shocked’ by Budget 2025, with the government doing little to address this issue and to ease the financial pressures that small businesses currently face.
Many cite the 13.5% VAT rate as a contributing factor to the high level of small business closures. Increases in energy costs, rent, wages and the number of paid sick days are additional factors small businesses are struggling to contend with.
Beginning at 1:00 pm near Merrion Square, protestors marched to Leinster House where a rally was led by leaders of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) and Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI). The crowd chanted “keep Ireland open”.
Slogans on posters included: “Budget wins votes, destroys business!,” “270,000 Hospitality livelihoods under threat,” “Budget ignored small business,” and “Government policy is killing family pubs”.
